Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Duane McDade on May 15, 2009 at 7:01am

yes the whole thing is crazy! no pun intended.

Mike said:

also, aren't many anti-depressants based on increasing transmission of serotonin, the "happy" hormone? and this hormone as i understand it awakens us just as melatonin puts us to sleep. i'm seeing serotonin and melatonin as opposite sides of the same coin in terms of the sleep-wake cycle and the circadian rhythm.

Duane McDade said:

Here's the weird thing putting it simple anti depressents may introduce alpha into your brain waves as you sleep. Alpha is what your brain makes when your'e awake with your eyes closed. So.....not good for your sleep because it may keep you in a lighter stage of sleep. Kind of a double edged sword there....You can't win for losing, but in some patients no extra alpha.

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Permalink Reply by Belinda Haman on May 15, 2009 at 1:58pm

Wow!!! talk about shooting yourself in the foot, okay these doc's really need to be educated on what they are doing to SP patients......what a vicious cycle at the expense of the SA patient......

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Permalink Reply by Elaine Hooton on May 15, 2009 at 3:04pm

I have been on depressions meds for about 5 years. I was recently diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, although, really a rather mild case (9/hour). I'm not sure which was first, but I think the depression was first. My father died, I graduated from college, got married, started birth control (too many hormones for me) and had a baby (with post-partum depression) all within a year. I think all of that just threw me. I went on meds with the pot-partum depression and have stayed on since. My father had Sleep Apnea and Depression and I don't know how his were related exactly, but my mom told me he got much better with CPAP treatment.
I started feeling better a few weeks after starting CPAP and then immediately felt worse. I think I'm over-medicated. Now I'm trying to get off of my meds (YAY!). However, the meds I'm on are awful to get off of (Welbutrin and Cymbalta). It may be months before I really start feeling the effects of the CPAP. The over-medication was causing me to be sleepy and now the withdrawal is causing it! GAH! I'm feeling trapped in my situation right now, like Mike was before treatment. :(
I'm so glad you started this thread. It's hard to find info about this subject. It's not proven that depression is helped by CPAP from what I've heard and so doctors are afraid to say anything about it. At least that is my experience.

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Permalink Reply by Melinda Hertel on May 15, 2009 at 3:37pm

Hi....I have been on antidepressants for 16 years. I was only diagnosed with sleep apnea 3 years ago, although I think I had apnea even as a child. After starting on CPAP therapy I decided to see if sleep apnea was the cause of my depression. But unfortunately my depression returned and I had to go back on an antidepressant. I slept fine off of the antidepressant and with the CPAP. So, not sure how much of my sleep is affected by the antidepressant. I find the information shared by Duane to be very interesting...didn't know that about antidepressants.

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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Donaldson on May 15, 2009 at 3:56pm

Well, from my own experience I would have to say yes. Within weeks of going on C-Pap, my 4 years of depression went away and I have not had any problem since. That was 14 years ago. I fully believe that REM sleep is the "safety valve" that helps us vent through dreams and if we don't dream, then the feelings of being overwhelmed creep in. That is what happend to me.

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Permalink Reply by Al Santa Ana, jr. on May 15, 2009 at 4:30pm

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. HAVE NEVER BEEN DEPRESSED. I TAKE EACH CHALLENGE AS IT MAY COME. A BIBLE VERSE I USUALLY HOLD ON STRONG TOO IS: GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD. HE IS MY HEALER, I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST. AND ONE THAT IS MY FAVORITE. BY HIS STRIPES I AM HEALED. AS I LAY IN A HOSPITAL BED BY HEART ONLY WORKING 10% MOST PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, NON CHRISTIANS THOUGHT HOW CAN I BE SO STRONG IN MY BELIEF. BECAUSE HIS WORD SAYS SO, HIS WORD IS TRUTH. MY HEART NOW IS COMPLETELY HEALED 100%. TALK ABOUT BEING HEALED OF CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE DUE TO OF COURSE MY SLEEP APNEA. I AM NOW ABLE TO USE MY CPAP.

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Permalink Reply by Melba Cooper on May 15, 2009 at 7:14pm

Yes. I have had a struggle with depression for many years. My sleep doc said that it had been "misdiagnosed" that in my case, the sleep apnea was the catalyst for the depression,.....rather than the other way around. I have had undiagnosed sleep apnea for apparently many, many years. She said that I was a "rare" case. 1 in 5 people diagnosed are not overweight and have depressive histories. Now that I am getting enough Air, I do not need antidepressants, ambien, or daily naps. I am energetic and alert....memory improving. Melba

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Permalink Reply by TrinaLynn Blair on May 15, 2009 at 8:05pm

I have been on anti depressants for a while now and I also have sleep apnea, I have used the CPAP machine for almost 4 years now. I still have problems with sleeping , I wake up quite a few times a night,, I am very tired though out the day I have very little energy.My Dr. is testing me again. There are times during the day that I could just fall asleep , sometimes I wonder if I have Narcolepsy also, Is This Possible to have both? I am sorry I am not much help, but I do need help.
Be Blessed,
Blessings, TrinaLynn

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Permalink Reply by Dave Hargett on May 16, 2009 at 2:05am

Trina,

Some patients on anti-depressants who start CPAP therapy can either lessen the amount of medication or get off it entirely. If there has been no change made to your meds and your CPAP therapy over the past 4 years, it may be time to do some experimentation (under medical supervision). If you've had a weight change or some other issue that might affect your CPAP pressure, that could be the issue, in that perhaps you are NOT being effectively treated.

Sounds like a good idea to me to consider another sleep study to titrate your CPAP, to be sure you're actually treating all of the apnea events.

Regarding the narcolepsy - it's relatively rare compared to apnea, but I have personally known several patients with both disorders. That does make it harder to treat your sleep issues. Find a well qualified sleep specialist and review any possible causes of your poor sleep, and discuss any possible symptoms that might point to narcolepsy, but my "guess" is that you should concentrate first on being sure the CPAP is actually being effective and then taking a look at your meds.

Not a doc, just another educated patient with my own opinion!


TrinaLynn Blair said:

I have been on anti depressants for a while now and I also have sleep apnea, I have used the CPAP machine for almost 4 years now. I still have problems with sleeping , I wake up quite a few times a night,, I am very tired though out the day I have very little energy.My Dr. is testing me again. There are times during the day that I could just fall asleep , sometimes I wonder if I have Narcolepsy also, Is This Possible to have both? I am sorry I am not much help, but I do need help.
Be Blessed,
Blessings, TrinaLynn

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Permalink Reply by Duane McDade on May 16, 2009 at 4:44am

I know it seems like one sides fighting the other. Here are some suggestions....1.) take your Anti-Depressants in the AM. not right before you go to sleep. 2.) try to wean yourself from the Drugs. 3.) It is only my opinion but sleep is much more important than we think. Maybe if we all slept better maybe our chemicals would not be so out of wack. And ours brains would work better. 4.) Pay careful attention to leaks.

Dave Hargett said:

Trina,

Some patients on anti-depressants who start CPAP therapy can either lessen the amount of medication or get off it entirely. If there has been no change made to your meds and your CPAP therapy over the past 4 years, it may be time to do some experimentation (under medical supervision). If you've had a weight change or some other issue that might affect your CPAP pressure, that could be the issue, in that perhaps you are NOT being effectively treated.

Sounds like a good idea to me to consider another sleep study to titrate your CPAP, to be sure you're actually treating all of the apnea events.

Regarding the narcolepsy - it's relatively rare compared to apnea, but I have personally known several patients with both disorders. That does make it harder to treat your sleep issues. Find a well qualified sleep specialist and review any possible causes of your poor sleep, and discuss any possible symptoms that might point to narcolepsy, but my "guess" is that you should concentrate first on being sure the CPAP is actually being effective and then taking a look at your meds.

Not a doc, just another educated patient with my own opinion!


TrinaLynn Blair said:

I have been on anti depressants for a while now and I also have sleep apnea, I have used the CPAP machine for almost 4 years now. I still have problems with sleeping , I wake up quite a few times a night,, I am very tired though out the day I have very little energy.My Dr. is testing me again. There are times during the day that I could just fall asleep , sometimes I wonder if I have Narcolepsy also, Is This Possible to have both? I am sorry I am not much help, but I do need help.
Be Blessed,
Blessings, TrinaLynn

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Permalink Reply by Chloe Rasmussen on May 16, 2009 at 6:31am

Yes I am on antidepressants along with the sleep apnea. I didnt know that they were connected

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Permalink Reply by Duane McDade on May 16, 2009 at 7:48am

Its not like theyr'e connected but anti-depressants are not good for sleeping. They don't cause obstructions, Sleep Apnea syptoms can and will cause depression but some treatments for depression dont help with your sleep. Everybodys different and the Doctors do the best they can. Some pain meds are even worse for your sleep......Opiates, do things to some peoples brainwaves that are unbelievable.

Chloe Rasmussen said:

Yes I am on antidepressants along with the sleep apnea. I didnt know that they were connected

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